Donkey Time

Remember when I said that I’d like to have a Long Ears in my life? I still don’t have one of my own, but I now get to visit with a burro several days a week.

At the beginning of January, Poh was adopted by the owners of River Front Farm, a stable where I have a couple of Lusitano gelding clients. Poh is of indeterminate age (ten?) and is shy of humans. At some point in his former history he learned that wherever a human wants him to go is probably not a good place, Poh has an amazing set of brakes on him. However, Poh has already decided that RFF is home, and that he’s in charge of all of the horses. He’s madly in love with one mare, so he gets to hang out with her, even when she’s in a riding lesson.

donkey in ring

What’s especially charming and sweet about this photograph is that the instructor, the great Karl Mikolka, (who is now in his eighties and as active, demanding, and humorous as ever) was the chief rider at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. I doubt he had to conduct a lesson with a donkey in the ring there.

Comments:

  1. Oh! We need some up close shots of Poh! After my own love affair with a Sicilian Donkey, I must know more about Poh! ( I am also swooning over even a mention of Karl. The last time I saw a performance at the School, I cried like an idiot through the whole thing.)

  2. What a great picture and story. I am so happy for Poh. All animals need love and respect.

  5. Wonderful story. Where I live in the New Forest we have lots of Donkeys as well as Horses roaming free, wonderful to see and they love to come up to you and say hello..:)

  6. Terry re last blog, checked with Jess ponies do have drier ground they can use as the paddocks are sloped so they don’t have to go in the mud they just seem to want to..:)

  7. That’s awesome! I’m glad that Poh has found a home where he is understood.

  10. Lucky Poh!! I have always wanted a donkey, want to name it Nestor as in “Nestor the long eared Christmas Donkey” Have you ever seen that one?

  11. I agree with Tracy, we do need some close up pictures of Poh – what a lovely, sweet story with a happy ending.

  12. Don’t know if this is on your end or not (I haven’t had time to check with my IT guy), but I cannot reach you via hencam.com. It tells me that HenCam.com is almost here! Upload my website to get started! by DreamHost. I got to you by googling hencam and clicking on hencam.com/henblog/. Just FYI

    • IT Guy here. Our server was migrated to a new machine yesterday, and there will be some disruption until the cutover completes. This should take less than a day.

      Your computer needs to figure out that our IP address has changed. Restarting your machine may help (that should flush all your DNS caches).

      Thanks for watching The HenCam!

      • THANKS! Hahaha, gives me and my IT guy a another good reason to get daughter to close all the crap she has open (for days). My IT guy saw yesterday all the stuff she still had up (she’s working on different personal projects and I couldn’t count all the itty bitty tabs at the top) and said something rude first and then said, “And you wonder why the damn thing isn’t working properly! Save it or close it!” Restart tonight! :D

  13. Hi Steve, was going to ask same question, my screen says ” Error Loading Stream: Manifest not found or Invalid. Have reloaded computer twice will try again tomorrow..:)

    • Hi Jan,

      The cams are all offline for the moment. I’m waiting for the new server to be properly configured by DreamHost so I can correctly feed the video. Hopefully soon!

      Steve
      IT Guy at The HenCam

  14. I have had of love of donkeys since I wasa child. I dream of having a few. Lol alas not enough room. Have to stick with the chickens.

  15. Hi Steve, just to let you know seems to be working okay this morning, thanks..:)

  16. I’m wondering how the mare that Poh loves adjusted to him being around. Does she like him back?